New Jersey Evolving Towns BY PAMELA BABCOCK
W
ith a combination of quality schools, luxury apartments at transit hubs and a growing number of diverse restaurants, breweries, shops and more, some New Jersey communities are winning hearts as “up-and-coming towns” and garnering accolades on best-of lists. You may want to add one of these boroughs to your buyers’ must-see lists.
Somerville Smack in the middle of Somerset County, Somerville is becoming hot, thanks to a Main Street revival that offers a variety of dining options, a growing retail roster, and an increasingly happening arts and culture scene. The walkable community has more than 40 eateries serving cuisine from around the globe, including Korean, Japanese, Thai/French fusion, Greek, Filipino, Indian, South American, Italian, Cuban and Mexican. Verve Restaurant and Bar, which opened 23 years ago, was recently crowned best bar in the state by NJ.com. “Call Verve the town’s nerve center,” NJ.com wrote. “Lawyers and judges love the place—the county courthouse is right across the street—and so do blue-collar types. Dress is casual; you’ll feel at home no matter who you are.” Verve holds special events throughout the year and many are for local causes, including a recent drag pageant promoted in celebration of Pride Month. Main Street is lined with national chains and independent businesses catering to a variety of interests and hobbies.
Somerville 20 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | September/October 2019
The downtown has earned a number of awards and recognitions, including being named one of New Jersey’s Great Places by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association in 2016. The group says the designation represents “the gold standard” for downtowns by demonstrating “a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement and a vision for tomorrow.” Downtown Somerville is the result of “balanced and progressive economic development and the product of an ‘experience’ economy that continues to bring a new and diverse population,” says Natalie Pineiro, executive director of the Downtown Somerville Alliance. In recent years, several luxury rental apartments have sprung up near the Somerville train station, including The Edge at Main, The Cobalt Apartments, and SOMA. The Davenport apartments and DGM Station House, an urban renewal apartment project on Veteran's Memorial Dr., are currently in the works. Somerset Station, a 40-acre transit-oriented project, will have apartments, townhouses, retail and a community center, plus a new road linking Route 206 to the station when completed in 2023. Somerville Borough was settled in 1683 and incorporated in 1909. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset and Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, call Somerville home. The community is close to major highways, including Interstates 287 and 78 and routes 202 and 206.
Photos courtesy of Downtown Somerville Alliance
